JBG (www.jbgorganic.com) has provided a different mix of veggies each week, including: kale, lettuce, spinach, rutabagas, beets, carrots, brussels sprouts, broccoli, radishes, and more. The carrots in particular have been amazing--we taste-tested them with store carrots and the difference was significant.
My favorite recipe last week was stuffed chard leaves with a cream cheese, carrot, rice, and red lentil filling. This week I made a kale & beet salad that my mother and I have revised over time. The original recipe came from The Flying Apron Cookbook by Jennifer Katzinger and Lorene Edwards Forkner.
The original recipe calls for currants and pecans. I like those, but I almost always have slivered almonds and raisins in the house and I rarely have currants around... so I made some substitutions. I also cut down on the oil since doing so lowers the fat content without much change in taste. This is by far my favorite way to use kale raw, which isn't a common thing to do--so many people find raw kale bitter. It certainly does not taste bitter in this recipe.
Here's my modified recipe:
Kale and Beet Salad
3 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp real maple syrup
3
medium beets (about 1 pound) peeled halved and julienned
2
bunches kale (or chard) chopped into bite sized pieces
1/3
cup raisins
½
cup slivered almonds
Dressing
1/3
cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
½
tsp lemon juice
¼
teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp real maple syrup
Bring
water and maple syrup to a boil, stir for one minute, then remove from heat. Place
beets in a steamer and steam until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Strain and
transfer to a large bowl. Toss beets with water/maple syrup mixture. Add
kale, raisins, and nuts. Combine
all dressing ingredients. Whisk and pour over the beet mixture. Toss & refrigerator. This salad tastes best cold.
Happy eating!
